Introduction

Have you ever read a page from a textbook and at the end of the page realized you have no idea what you just read?

Successful readers develop active reading habits that improve their reading comprehension, speed, and enjoyment. Active reading involves deeper engagement with the text before, during, and after reading.

Active Reading vs Passive Reading

A good way to understand active reading is by comparing it to what it is not, what’s sometimes called passive reading.

Active Reading as a Process

As with learning from lectures and discussions, the learning of information and skills presented in readings, texts, and written text from a Web site should be viewed as a process: preparation to take in the new information, the act of taking in the new information, and then reviewing the information so that it is later accessible (recalled from memory) to use for a project, paper, or test. The following strategies explore methods of engaging yourself beyond the surface level:

Read Thoroughly and in a Distraction-Free Environment

You have already learned that college requires active reading, not passive reading. But it is hard to keep our minds focused on a task all the time. Further, it is difficult to get away from the excitement and “noise” of a college life. That is why it is a good idea to read multiple times, especially items such as prompts, texts for analysis, materials for exams, etc. Reading multiple times will enhance your ability to cognitively process the material. If you can do your reading in a distraction-free environment, that will also increase your ability to make sense of the material and to commit it to memory.

Annotate Your Texts

You’ve probably thought or heard someone say that you shouldn’t write in your books because then you can sell them back for more, but if you are concerned about money, think of the other side of this example: If you aren’t interacting with the book you purchased, you aren’t getting the money out of it that you originally paid. Readings in college are meant to marked up. You cannot make the most of your reading experiences if you do not synthesize complex parts, write questions that arise, or note connections. And don’t simply highlight parts you find interesting. Highlighting certainly isn’t a bad strategy, but it doesn’t advance active reading in and of itself. Think of your reading experience as you would a conversation with someone, especially someone you might not know well. If all that happens is the other person talks to you while you sit passively, you may well get some information, but you would be unable to get clarification, ask questions, or think about larger context, just for starters. Conversation works best when multiple people are active participants. Think of reading similarly.

Use Your Personal Knowledge to Your Advantage

Though college involves a lot of reading on subjects or topics that are new to you, your prior knowledge can still help. Try to connect readings to what you already know, even if that isn’t a lot. For example, you might be reading for your Biology class and remember a relative’s heart attack. What you learned as your family member went through the treatment could help you contextualize the reading. Perhaps you don’t know the word “mnemonic,” but it means something that assists with memory. One trick to helping you retain knowledge during reading is to apply the information you read to what you already know about a topic.

Don’t Bite Off More Than You Can Chew

You probably learned long ago that you can’t read the 200-page text that is the basis for your book report the day before the paper is due; however, you might not have thought much about shorter readings. Remember, reading in college is more difficult than it was in high school, so even that 20-page chapter might be more work than it sounds like. Since you will be annotating and thinking critically about the material, it might be a good idea to stop once in a while or break up even shorter pieces. Of course, you should probably be able to read a six-page article in one sitting, but you might want to go back at a later time to reread it. You know your reading and thinking capacities better than anyone else, but don’t push ahead if you find yourself not reading critically or not retaining information. This is why it is important to get to reading assignments early and leave time to come back to them if you need to do so.

The Reading-Process Loop

On the next page are strategies for a reading process loop that will help you better think about and understand what you are reading. Don’t forget, reading is a recursive act, which means you can move back and forth through different steps as you work. Keep reading and thinking about what you have read until you feel comfortable with the material.

Before-During-After

The following chart offers guidance on active reading methods throughout different stages of the reading process:

Before Reading	During Reading	After Reading
Preview the reading headings to get a “big picture” of the outline of the reading. Look at the pictures and figures. Check out the bold and italicized words.	As you are reading, seek out the answers to the questions that the reading or you generated rather than passively scanning the words.	Take reading notes from the highlighted material from the text. Utilize visual organizers and summaries to capture information. Revisit the informational box on “Note-Taking Methods: What Is Right for You?” and visit “Visualize Your information and “Cram Cards for Long-term Review.”
Preview any questions that the chapter may offer so that you can actively seek answers to those questions.	Monitor your concentration and comprehension. After each paragraph, ask yourself, “What was the main point of that paragraph?” After each section, summarize what you have read.	Answer the questions that a the reading may have provided or that you developed. Reread sections in which you remember little information.
Turn text headings into questions so that you can actively seek answers to those questions. Jot those questions down in the margin of the text or in your notes if you plan to take reading notes.	Mark your text. Highlight the main idea of a paragraph or write down the main idea of a paragraph in your notes. If you cannot mark your text, take reading notes on the main ideas. Refer to the informational box called “In Search of Main Ideas” for more information	Integrate your reading notes and lecture/discussion notes into one location for easier review for an exam.
Plan for a high energy time of the day to read. Consider breaking up a long reading assignment into multiple, shorter reading sessions.	Look up the definitions to words that you do not understand to help build your vocabulary and facilitate understanding of the topic.	Discuss readings with classmates on a regular basis. Take turns explaining to each other sections of the reading. Ask and answer reading questions. Jot down questions that are unclear to the study group to ask the professor in class or during office hours.
Be sure you have your materials ready for reading: text, notebook paper, writing utensils, high-lighters, charged laptop, etc.

Visual Organizers

Summarizing main ideas of the readings or lectures can be difficult without the right tools. Visual organizers can help students condense important information into visual diagrams that can be easily reviewed for exams or help organize a writing assignment. A few examples include:

Summary

Students who simply start and finish a reading with no further actions taken could be wasting their time. Reading a text needs to be approached properly in order to ensure comprehension and retention of the information. Planning for an active reading session by engaging in the “before reading” activities facilitates an active mindset to the reading session and discourages “auto-pilot reading” that results in scanning of the words without careful thought about what is being said.

Sources:

“Active vs Passive Reading.” By Excelsior Online Reading Lab. Retrieved from https://owl.excelsior.edu/orc/introduction/active-reading/ Licensed under CC-BY. Adapted by The American Women’s College at Bay Path University.

“Active Learning from Reading.” By University of Texas, Arlington. Retrieved from: https://uta.pressbooks.pub/nolimits/chapter/active-learning-from-reading/ Licensed under: CC-BY. Adapted by The American Women’s College at Bay Path University.

“Strategies for Active Reading.” By Lumen Learning UM RhetLab. Retrieved from: https://courses.lumenlearning.com/olemiss-writing100/chapter/strategies-for-active-reading/ Licensed under: CC-BY